The employer shall determine if the walking/working surfaces on which its employees are to work have
the strength and structural integrity to support employees safely. Employees shall be allowed to work on those surfaces only when the surfaces have
the requisite strength and structural integrity.

"Unprotected sides and edges." Each employee on a walking/working surface (horizontal and vertical
surface) with an unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level shall be protected from falling by the use of guardrail
systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems.

Each employee who is constructing a leading edge 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall
be protected from falling by guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems. Exception: When the employer can demonstrate that
it is infeasible or creates a greater hazard to use these systems, the employer shall develop and implement a fall protection plan which meets the
requirements of paragraph (k) of 1926.502.

Note: There is a presumption that it is feasible and will not create a greater hazard to implement at least one of the above-listed fall
protection systems. Accordingly, the employer has the burden of establishing that it is appropriate to implement a fall protection plan which complies
with 1926.502(k) for a particular workplace situation, in lieu of implementing any of those systems.

Each employee on a walking/working surface 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level where
leading edges are under construction, but who is not engaged in the leading edge work, shall be protected from falling by a guardrail system, safety
net system, or personal fall arrest system. If a guardrail system is chosen to provide the fall protection, and a controlled access zone has already
been established for leading edge work, the control line may be used in lieu of a guardrail along the edge that parallels the leading edge.

"Hoist areas." Each employee in a hoist area shall be protected from falling 6 feet (1.8 m) or more
to lower levels by guardrail systems or personal fall arrest systems. If guardrail systems, [or chain, gate, or guardrail] or portions thereof, are
removed to facilitate the hoisting operation (e.g., during landing of materials), and an employee must lean through the access opening or out over the
edge of the access opening (to receive or guide equipment and materials, for example), that employee shall be protected from fall hazards by a
personal fall arrest system.

"Formwork and reinforcing steel." Each employee on the face of formwork or reinforcing steel shall
be protected from falling 6 feet (1.8 m) or more to lower levels by personal fall arrest systems, safety net systems, or positioning device
systems.

Each employee at the edge of an excavation 6 feet (1.8 m) or more in depth shall be protected
from falling by guardrail systems, fences, or barricades when the excavations are not readily seen because of plant growth or other visual
barrier;

Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section, each employee performing overhand
bricklaying and related work 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels, shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems, safety net systems,
personal fall arrest systems, or shall work in a controlled access zone.

1926.501(b)(9)(ii)

Each employee reaching more than 10 inches (25 cm) below the level of the walking/working
surface on which they are working, shall be protected from falling by a guardrail system, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system.

Note: Bricklaying operations performed on scaffolds are regulated by subpart L - Scaffolds of this part.

"Roofing work on Low-slope roofs." Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section,
each employee engaged in roofing activities on low-slope roofs, with unprotected sides and edges 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be
protected from falling by guardrail systems, safety net systems, personal fall arrest systems, or a combination of warning line system and guardrail
system, warning line system and safety net system, or warning line system and personal fall arrest system, or warning line system and safety
monitoring system. Or, on roofs 50-feet (15.25 m) or less in width (see Appendix A to subpart M of this part), the use of a safety monitoring system
alone [i.e. without the warning line system] is permitted.

"Precast concrete erection." Each employee engaged in the erection of precast concrete members
(including, but not limited to the erection of wall panels, columns, beams, and floor and roof "tees") and related operations such as grouting of
precast concrete members, who is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems, safety net systems,
or personal fall arrest systems, unless another provision in paragraph (b) of this section provides for an alternative fall protection measure.
Exception: When the employer can demonstrate that it is infeasible or creates a greater hazard to use these systems, the employer shall develop and
implement a fall protection plan which meets the requirements of paragraph (k) of 1926.502.

Note: There is a presumption that it is feasible and will not create a greater hazard to implement at least one of the above-listed fall
protection systems. Accordingly, the employer has the burden of establishing that it is appropriate to implement a fall protection plan which complies
with 1926.502(k) for a particular workplace situation, in lieu of implementing any of those systems.

"Residential construction." Each employee engaged in residential construction activities 6 feet
(1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected by guardrail systems, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system unless another provision
in paragraph (b) of this section provides for an alternative fall protection measure. Exception: When the employer can demonstrate that it is
infeasible or creates a greater hazard to use these systems, the employer shall develop and implement a fall protection plan which meets the
requirements of paragraph (k) of 1926.502.

Note: There is a presumption that it is feasible and will not create a greater hazard to implement at least one of the above-listed fall
protection systems. Accordingly, the employer has the burden of establishing that it is appropriate to implement a fall protection plan which complies
with 1926.502(k) for a particular workplace situation, in lieu of implementing any of those systems.

"Wall openings." Each employee working on, at, above, or near wall openings (including those with
chutes attached) where the outside bottom edge of the wall opening is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels and the inside bottom edge of the wall
opening is less than 39 inches (1.0 m) above the walking/working surface, shall be protected from falling by the use of a guardrail system, a safety
net system, or a personal fall arrest system.

"Walking/working surfaces not otherwise addressed." Except as provided in 1926.500(a)(2) or in
1926.501 (b)(1) through (b)(14), each employee on a walking/working surface 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected from falling
by a guardrail system, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system.

1926.501(c)

"Protection from falling objects." When an employee is exposed to falling objects, the employer shall
have each employee wear a hard hat and shall implement one of the following measures:

Erect a canopy structure and keep potential fall objects far enough from the edge of the higher
level so that those objects would not go over the edge if they were accidentally displaced; or,

1926.501(c)(3)

Barricade the area to which objects could fall, prohibit employees from entering the barricaded
area, and keep objects that may fall far enough away from the edge of a higher level so that those objects would not go over the edge if they were
accidentally displaced.

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